


Hellions #7

by Commander_Ferro



Series: Posthumanity [7]
Category: Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Drug Addiction, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 12:34:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16681714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commander_Ferro/pseuds/Commander_Ferro
Summary: The Hellions are sent after Reverend Stryker.  A teammate undergoes massive changes, as alluded to in #6.





	Hellions #7

“I definitely don’t mind taking this one out,” said Youngblood.  
“I thought he was dead after our last meeting,” Shadowcat said. “Guess I’ll have to fix that this time around.”  
“I’m ready,” said Flex. “I’d love to kick some preacher ass.”  
“Let’s go over the plan. First, remember, this absolutely cannot look like a posthuman job. If it does it will just ignite a war. We don’t want that. If you screw up I will beat you when we get back – even if you’re dead, which you won’t be because we’re all coming back alive.  
“Songbird, Youngblood, I want you two to scout around the building. Call me if you see anything out of the place, or even if you don’t. Flex, snake under the door a little. Your powers have expanded so let’s make use of it. Bevatron, you’re with me. If there’s any resistance, you need to hit them. Don’t kill them because electrocution will be obvious. Any killing will have to be hands-on. Any questions?”  
“What if we’re spotted,” Songbird asked.  
“Like I said, up close and personal. No deaths by super-powers. Only use your powers in defense. Anything else?”  
No one said anything.  
“Then let’s move out.”  
Youngblood, Songbird and Flex all set out on their scouting missions. Shadowcat signaled Bevatron to follow her. They stuck to the shadows but Bevatron had to short out one or two cameras so they wouldn’t be recorded. Deciding it wasn’t worth it to go through the front door, Shadowcat grabbed Bevatron’s hand and phased through the wall. The room was much like any other church with pews and a pulpit. Being Jewish, Shadowcat found little of interest to her. The most unusual thing Shadowcat noticed was a lack of guards. For a guy who openly said he wanted to remove posthumans from existence, he lacked the security to be expected of someone who had essentially put a death mark on his head. Also absent was the field that interacted with the x-factor to induce hemorrhaging and, eventually, death. Kate had experienced its effects firsthand.  
As they moved forward toward the back door, Bevatron and Shadowcat both sensed someone behind them. Shadowcat reacted first, pivoting and kicking the person right in the gut. They got a closer look and saw a man dressed a black outfit with a hooded cloak.  
“The little kitten certainly has a bite,” the man said. “My how you’ve grown since you used to play with my little brother years ago.”  
“Who the hell are you,” Shadowcat asked.  
Moving into the light, Shadowcat got a better look at her adversary. She did recognize him, but only from a photograph.  
“Damiano Sellers,” she said.  
“You do remember me,” Damiano said. “Do you remember how I used to torture my little brother and you would come to his defense?”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“Oh, that’s right! Someone plucked those memories out of your head. You can’t remember!”  
Bevatron tired of the chit chat and fired off a bolt of bioelectric energy. Much to the surprise of both Bevatron and Shadowcat, he caught the blast and absorbed it. Not willing to remain off-balance, Shadowcat had a quip ready.  
“You stole that from Star Wars,” she said. “Like a common thief.”  
“Very curious,” Damiano said. “You have changed more than anticipated. Still, you are no match for me. I am Azrael, Harbinger of Death.”  
“Maybe your own.”  
Flex, who had squeezed his way under the door, heard most of the exchange. He didn’t look happy when he stepped into the light.  
“What are you doing here, Damiano,” Flex asked, the venom clear in his voice.  
“No hug for your brother?”  
“Must this dreadful conversation continue,” Bevatron asked. “Can you not just play the part of the evil villain and reveal your plot?”  
“Of course. I will guide the reverend to start a war against posthumanity. We’ll be rid of the human filth and build a finer world.”  
Flex and Shadowcat could not help but look at one another. Could this have been what sparked the aggression Tessa was fighting or was it just one in a series of similar events? This did not go unnoticed by Azrael.  
“What is it you think you know,” Azrael asked.  
“We know you’re fucking filth,” Flex shouted.  
“Mother never taught you to speak like that. Even with her dying breath she refused to use foul language.”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“Since our grandmother returned, I’ve learned more than a few tricks. I can tell you mother and father’s life essence tasted absolutely delicious. I suspect yours will be much the same. I would love to save you for Tranquilla, but Lara will have to do.”  
“You murdered our parents?”  
“Yes, well, they weren’t very happy to see grandmother. I couldn’t let them thwart our plans.”  
“I’ll kill you!”  
Flex extended an arm to bash Azrael. His brother was surprisingly fast, evading the blow with relative ease. In response, Azrael lashed out with a black energy that sent Flex reeling.

In the back room, Songbird and Youngblood had managed to sneak in to confront Stryker. They would have gone to help their teammates except that it would have caused more damage, something they were meant to avoid.  
“I suppose you’re here to kill me,” Reverend Stryker said from behind his desk. “This is hardly unexpected.”  
“Why would you do this,” asked Songbird. “We’re willing to protect any human in danger from posthumans, but not if you attack us first.”  
“Listen to yourselves. ‘Posthuman’, as though humanity were a dried up husk to be shed and left behind.”  
“That’s exactly true,” replied Youngblood. “Bigots like you are a sad reminder of why we’re evolving. There’s no room for your intolerance.”  
“The Bible speaks of humans. It calls humans God’s children. Anything else is an abomination.”  
“Rubbish. ‘Human’ is your interpretation but the Bible says nothing of the sort.”  
“Poor, misguided children. Born with no souls and unwilling to go gracefully. It is fortunate that not all of your kind feel the same. Some know they don’t belong and are willing to aid my cause. Son, if you don’t mind, show yourself.”  
From a dark corner of the room, a man emerged. He was tall and his muscles rippled as he moved. Youngblood knew him on sight.  
“Meet Barracuda,” said Stryker. “He has chosen to help my crusade. When we have done our work up here, the fight will continue beneath the sea to Atlantis.”  
Barracuda looked at the twins, smiling when his gaze landed on Songbird.  
“You must be Mercedes,” said Barracuda. “I wish that we had been able to meet under more pleasant circumstances. If you join us, I won’t kill you.”  
“You would save us if we just stopped fighting,” Songbird asked.  
“Just you. Adam must die a slow and torturous death for his betrayal.”  
“Stay away from her, Evan,” Youngblood.  
“What say you, sister. Will you join me?”  
“Evan,” Songbird said. “Adam, he’s our brother! He must be brainwashed!”  
“No,” said Youngblood. “He’s a terrorist.”  
“I was a freedom fighter,” Barracuda yelled. “And you betrayed us to the enemy! You will die for that!”  
Having reached the end of his patience, Barracuda lunged at Youngblood. His teeth had become like those of a shark and his fingers like razors as he slashed at his brother.

“Nice try, brother,” said Azrael. “Now taste this.”  
Azrael fired a blast of energy at Flex, sending him flying into a pew. More resilient than most, Flex got up right away. This time he threw another punch but then nailed Azrael into the ground with a foot. Once down, Flex pummeled Azrael repeatedly.  
Azrael created a shield that kept Flex out. Then he stood up and grabbed Flex’s wrists, somehow preventing him from moving. Green smoke poured out of his orifices.  
“You dare to touch me,” Azrael screamed. “Then pay!”  
The green smoke grew thicker. As it did so, Flex seemed to be weakening, wasting away, as though his life force were being drained.  
While he was distracted, Shadowcat drew a blade and walked up behind Azrael. Without hesitation, she plunged the knife into his back. Azrael stiffened in pain but did not stop. Whatever energy he was stealing from Flex was keeping him alive.  
“Bevatron,” Shadowcat yelled. “Like we did in training!”  
Bevatron had been transfixed by what was happening, but Shadowcat’s shout had brought him back. Not wasting another moment, Bevatron used his powers to ignite the knife with electrical energy. It coursed through Azrael’s body, forcing him to pull away. Unable to stand, Azrael fell to his knees.  
“You’ve won this round,” Azrael said. “But it’s far from over.”  
Azrael then vanished.  
“No,” Bevatron cried, running to Flex’s inert body.  
Shadowcat shoved him aside. She checked for a pulse and a heartbeat but came up with nothing. She went to CPR and mouth-to-mouth, but neither had any effect.  
“Let me try,” said Bevatron. “I can use my powers the way paramedics do to revive others.”  
“Okay,” Shadowcat said. “Do what you can. I have to make sure the other two are okay. We haven’t heard from them.”

Before Barracuda’s claws could reach Youngblood, a loud noise pierced the air as a shield of pure sound got between them. Not waiting for a further attack, Songbird created a razor out of solid sound and slashed at Barracuda. However much she wanted to know this brother, she cared far more about the welfare of her twin. She was now getting a picture of why Youngblood had returned home from visiting their mother in a very despondent mood.  
“You turn on me, too,” Barracuda said.  
Shifting his attack, Barracuda leapt at Songbird. She erected a shield, but Barracuda was able to partially claw through it.  
Taking advantage of the distraction, Youngblood focused on Stryker. They weren’t supposed to use their powers, but he was pretty sure he could make it look natural. Concentrating on the blood in Stryker’s brain, Youngblood caused it to clot. It soon became too much, forcing an aneurysm that killed him.  
“Good riddance,” Youngblood spat out.  
Shadowcat burst into the room to assess the situation. She saw that Stryker was dead, which was good. That a battle was going on with yet another posthuman was bad.  
Youngblood turned his attention to Barracuda, who was shredding Songbird’s shield. Bolstering it with what he called hard water, something conjured through elemental magic, the twins were able to gain ground. Together, they expanded the shield until they surrounded Barracuda.  
“Now we put an end to him,” said Youngblood.  
“No,” Songbird cried out. “You can’t! He’s our brother!”  
“The world would celebrate his death.”  
“I wouldn’t.”  
Youngblood sighed. Having been denied a connection to their mother and brother because of her inability to breathe in water, Songbird had a hard time severing any possibility of getting to know them.  
“What would you have me do?”  
“How about this,” Shadowcat said.  
Phasing through the shield, Shadowcat put her hand in Barracuda’s head. He stiffened before collapsing.  
“Is he dead,” Songbird asked.  
“No, but he should be. Let’s get out of here. Mark’s in real trouble and needs medical attention.”  
When they emerged from the office, Bevatron was still trying to revive Flex. It didn’t seem likely that he would succeed at this point.  
“He’s dehydrated,” Youngblood commented. “His blood literally dried up in his veins. Perhaps if…”  
Youngblood waved his hand and the unconscious body of Barracuda came into the room on a bed of hard water.  
“I don’t know if they’re a match but it might do until we can get him elsewhere.”  
Barracuda convulsed as blood began to stream out of his pores. Songbird gasped, but Youngblood didn’t care. He moved it through the air and pumped it into Flex’s veins. When Youngblood had taken as much as he could without killing his brother, he stopped.  
With the blood in his veins, Flex looked slightly less hollow. After a few more attempts, Flex coughed violently and shot up. Sparks shot from his eyes. That lasted only a few moments before he collapsed again.  
Shadowcat went to check his vitals but was repelled by a shock.  
“I can’t touch him,” she said.  
Bevatron put his ear to Flex’s chest. After a few moments, he withdrew.  
“He is breathing.”  
“Is Evan alive,” Songbird asked of her brother.  
“I didn’t kill him,” Youngblood said. “I know you don’t understand, but I like Mark and wish Evan were dead. He’s only alive for your sake.”  
“We don’t have time for this,” Shadowcat said. “Songbird, take Flex in one of your hard sound constructs. We need to get to our meeting point and get him back fast.”

“I wish I could give you better news,” said Emma. “It’s very difficult to treat someone who can’t be touched. Fabian is doing all he can to follow the directions given him, but it isn’t an easy task. Now tell me exactly what happened.”  
“Someone knew exactly which of us was going to be there,” Kate said. “There’s no way it was a coincidence that not only were they ready for us but that the brothers of Mark, Adam and Mercedes happened to be there to oppose us.”  
Emma had already considered the idea herself but had few leads as to who might have given them the information. Her mind kept coming back to one person and that person was Sebastian Shaw. She couldn't prove it, but he was the only one who knew about the mission. The real question was why he would do it. Shaw had wanted Stryker dead as much as she did. If he’d changed his mind and wanted to spark a war, why not just have the mission called off? There was some piece of information missing but she didn’t yet know what it was.  
“To my knowledge, Damiano has never displayed posthuman abilities,” Frost said.  
“He said something about his grandmother coming back and teaching him some stuff.”  
“He must have been x-latent.”  
“Huh?”  
“Nothing. Adam, Mercedes, tell me about your brother.”  
“That was the first time I’d ever met him,” said Mercedes.  
“Evan and that woman who gave birth to us tried to overthrow Atlantis,” Adam said. “I didn’t like the idea and went to Prince Namor. He stopped them but Evan must have escaped. I’ve read that Namor is now with the Fantastic Four. That means Atlantis is likely vulnerable. Stryker said he was going to help Evan destroy the ‘abominations’ under the sea. I suspect Evan wanted aid in taking control before turning on Stryker.”  
“Yet you spared his life,” Emma commented.  
“That’s my fault,” Songbird said. “I’d never met Evan or our mother because I can’t go under the sea. I’m just not ready to give up on him.”  
Emma nodded. It was no surprise that Mercedes felt this way, but the new information about Adam was intriguing. The possibility existed that he had fought and killed while with his mother. He certainly hadn’t shown any remorse over those he’d killed since joining the Hellions and was perfectly ready to kill his own brother.  
“Adam, it was very creative way of dealing with Reverend Stryker,” Emma said. “There is no way to find evidence of foul play. These things can and do happen without warning. You have earned a well-deserved bonus.”

“Why isn’t he responding,” Fabian asked.  
“He’s rejecting the blood,” said the doctor. “Whatever was pumped into him wasn’t compatible. He needs a transfusion.”  
“Can you not get the proper blood?”  
“His body is burning away anything we give him. You have the right blood type and I think, with your powers, it’ll take.”  
“Then do it.”  
“This is the difficult part,” the doctor said. “We have to do the transfer all at once. That means we’ll need more blood than you can give at any one time. It’s going to take a week, at least, to get what we need.”  
“He’ll die!”  
“That is a possibility. Unfortunately, there’s also nothing we can do about it.”  
“You can just take what you need. I am willing to make the sacrifice.”  
“Don’t be ridiculous. I will not kill one student to save the life of another. We’ll do what we can to keep both of you alive.”  
“It isn’t fair.”  
“No, but I promise I’ll do whatever is possible to save him. If you didn’t have to go on these damn missions this sort of thing wouldn’t happen.”

“This really sucks,” Kate said, lying on Doug’s bed.  
Doug, for his part, was on his computer. Some of the things Kate had told him about the mission were interesting. Patterns were emerging.  
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” said Doug.  
“I wish I was.”  
“Let me run something by you. Mark’s full first name is Marcus. His brother is Damiano and you said he has a younger sister named Tranquilla.”  
“Yeah, so?”  
“Those are all Italian names.”  
“Just tell me what you’re saying. I’m too exhausted to think.”  
“Damiano said his grandmother had just returned and taught him a few tricks. One of them is draining the life out of others. The New Mutants told us about someone who fits that profile perfectly and who just recently showed up.”  
“Selene? Is that even possible? Why would she want her daughter dead?”  
“Selene killed Amara’s mother and tried to kill Amara. I don’t think familial bonds mean much to her.”  
“If he dies, our next mission is going to be to kill that bitch. I don’t care if it means throwing away everything here to do it.”  
“Let’s wait and see what happens first.”  
“I’m going back to my room,” Kate said. “I need to think.”

A limousine pulled up to Hancock House, dropping off one young man. He was very handsome by most standards, obviously showing signs of intense workouts and careful attention to hair and facial care. When the limo pulled away, no one had come out to greet him. That was very unusual since Emma Frost was unlikely to want to offend his father.  
Walking up to the building, he stepped inside. There was a man sitting at the desk who seemed very surprised to see him.  
“I’m new here,” the boy said.  
“Trevor Fitzroy,” the man asked.  
“That’s me. There’s no one around?”  
“One of Ms. Frost’s students was nearly killed in an accident last night and he’s not doing very well. Another student was supposed to be here to greet you. Let me give him a call. I’m Randall, by the way.”  
Randall picked up the phone and dialed a number. The phone rang several times but no one answered. Randall, not showing any signs of frustration, returned the phone to its cradle.  
“If he isn’t here in five minutes I’ll make other arrangements. Why don’t you have a seat?”  
Before Trevor could make it to a chair, Stephen Scarsdale came running into the building. He wasn’t in proper attire, even to the point of wearing a cap on his head backwards. That would cost him demerits if Emma ever found out.  
“I’m so sorry,” Stephen said. “Adam and Mercedes were pretty upset and I lost track of time.”  
“Trevor Fitzroy, meet Stephen Scarsdale,” Randall said. “He will show you around and get you settled in, perhaps without that hat.”  
“Oops,” said Stephen, pulling it off and stuffing it into his back pocket. “Sorry for making you wait, Trevor. You want to get out of here?”  
“Yeah,” Trevor said. “Better than sitting around here.”  
“Let’s go.”  
Without waiting, Stephen walked out the door. Trevor followed quickly, trying to keep up. Finally, he made his way next to Stephen and slowed his pace.  
“Where are you from,” Stephen asked.  
“Manhattan,” Trevor responded. “It was a long drive here.”  
“That sucks. I’m from just outside Chicago.”  
“That seems like it would be a long trip, too.”  
“Yup. Want to mess around?”  
“Excuse me,” Trevor said, taken aback.  
“Hey, if you don’t want to, fine, but you’re cute.”  
“What makes you think I’m gay?”  
“I don’t think about those things too much. If you’re not interested just tell me.”  
“You don’t even concern yourself that I might be straight?”  
“No. Do straight guys worry that the chick they’re hitting on might be a lesbian? I don’t see much difference.”  
“If I were to agree, where would we go?”  
Stephen grinned. He had him.  
“Let me show you.”

Looking out the window, Marie-Ange watched as Stephen went into the woods holding the hand of a new student.  
“That boy is very forward,” she commented.  
“Who,” asked Illyana.  
“Stephen. He just accompanied a new student into the woods.”  
“The way I heard is he’s been hard up for another guy since he got here. Guess he finally found one. Not sure what took him so long. He’s not exactly ugly, or even average.”  
“No,” said Marie-Ange. “None of us are ugly, or even unattractive.”  
“I’m sure that’s intentional,” Illyana said. “It was only Rahne and Sharon, and Frost somehow figured out how to solve that problem.”  
“I have heard that Ms. Frost intends to do much more with us. These assassination missions are not the future she has in mind for us.”  
“Could be.”  
Illyana wasn’t especially secretive around Marie-Ange, except in a few areas. Emma Frost had made it clear that she was particularly interested in Illyana, Kate and Doug. Illyana had gone along with it all, giving the impression that she was perfectly fine with it. The truth was that Illyana had never forgiven Frost for kidnapping Kate. When the time came, Illyana fully intended to have her head.  
“I sense you know more than you say.”  
“Maybe.”  
“You are not going to share?”  
“Not right now.”   
Marie-Ange had seen in her cards that Illyana held a secret that in some way involved Frost. She had no way to know the specifics if they were too intricate for a card reading, at least not unless Illyana herself participated. Marie-Ange had a suspicion that Illyana believed her friend might be in danger if she knew whatever secret she was keeping.  
“As you wish.”

Eileen pushed open the door to the room shared by Ivana and Mercedes. She knew Mercedes was off somewhere else and didn’t feel worried that she’d be invading her privacy.  
“You’re never going to guess what I just saw,” Eileen blurted out.  
“What,” Ivana asked.  
“Remember how Ms. Frost said a new student was coming and that she wasn't able to introduce us to yet?”  
“Yes, the one Stephen was supposed to show around.”  
“I just saw Stephen and the new boy coming out of the woods.”  
“Are you kidding me? That little slut!”  
“He saw me and gave a roll to his eyes. Then he introduced us. The new kid is Trevor Fitzroy.”  
“Did you know Stephen made fun of me because we got together in under an hour? Oh, I’ve got to talk to him now.”  
“I’m sure he’ll be expecting you.”  
Minutes later, Ivana was opening the door to the room shared by Stephen and Adam. It looked like Trevor must be the other boy in there. She didn’t care.  
“You, Stephen Scarsdale, are a whore,” she shouted out.  
“Er, Trevor,” said Stephen. “Meet my sister, Ivana.”  
“Um, hello,” Trevor said, slightly intimidated.  
“Did you even wait five whole minutes,” she asked.  
“None of your business,” Stephen replied. “I guess Eileen ran over to tell you. I knew she would.”  
“You got on my case for Eileen last month.”  
“If you want to go at it again, we can do that. We were interrupted last time.”  
“Combat Room?”  
“Isn’t it getting a little out of hand,” said Trevor. “Is this worth a physical fight?”  
“I’ve got new powers since last month,” Stephen said.  
“Me, too,” Ivana responded.  
“Maybe Trevor’s right. Things might go a little too far if we don’t know how to anticipate the new moves. We should practice first.”  
“Backing down?”  
“I’m busy. Maybe another time.”  
“Fine,” Ivana said, stalking off.  
“You do that often,” Trevor asked.  
“Twice in two months is way more than ever in the past,” Stephen said. “Weird, too, because she’s usually a lot calmer when she has a girlfriend.”  
“You’re both gay?”  
“Yeah. This stuff tends to run in families. Want to fool around some more?”  
“What about your roommate?”  
“He’s got a girlfriend.”  
Trevor sighed.  
“What if he comes back?”  
Stephen shrugged, obviously not worried.  
“It’s not like I haven’t walked in on he and his girlfriend making out.”  
“I was thinking of a little more than making out,” Trevor said with a twinkle in his eye. “With what I want to do, I’d feel a lot more comfortable in my room. Remember, I’ve got the room to myself.”  
“Gosh, Trevor, what else is there to do,” Stephen said. “I’m real naïve about this man-to-man sex stuff.”  
“With the way your mouth works, I find that hard to believe.”  
Stephen grinned and laughed.  
“I’m a world-class lollipop sucker. Besides, I don’t usually do what you’re suggesting on a first date.”  
“Think of the woods as the first date and this as the second.”  
“Day-um! I like the way you think!”

Entering his bedroom, Sam saw the lights were out. That was peculiar since the door was unlocked. It was unlike Haroun to leave and not lock the door. In some ways, it was pointless to bother, since most of the team could get in if they really wanted to. All the same, it made Sam feel better to do so. It was only after turning on the lights that Sam saw Haroun lying on his bed on the far side of the room.  
“We need to talk,” said Haroun.  
“About what,” Sam asked.  
“Do you have a problem with my religion?”  
“As long as you’re not preachin’ it to me, I don’t care.”  
“Then why do you avoid me? You don’t talk to me at all and usually stay out of the room when I’m here.”  
“I’m just doin’ other things.”  
“Every other member of the Hellions is on friendly terms with his or her roommate if not actually close friends. Except us.”  
“You’re just imagining things.”  
“You heard,” Haroun said. “That I might try to seduce or drug you into having sex with me.”  
“I don’t… yeah, I heard that,” Sam admitted.  
“That was a rumor spread by a former roommate. Ms. Frost telepathically verified that it was a lie.”  
“Oh.”  
“You could have asked if you were suspicious.”  
“I didn’t know how to bring it up,” said Sam.  
“If Mark were not in mortal danger I would thrash him. He knows I was exonerated.”  
“Did you have sex with your roommate?”  
“Yes, I did. Then he regretted it. No one knew of it but the two of us but he chose to tell people I drugged him and ‘tried’ to have sex with him.”  
“So you’re queer?”  
“Sometimes,” Haroun answered. “I have been with both men and women, but that roommate was the only man. I still do not know if I was forced.”  
“You mean Empath?”  
“Of course. He did the same thing to Fabian and Mark.”  
“What,” Sam exclaimed. “When?”  
“The night Mark overdosed. I thought you must have known since you spend time with him.”  
“He never told me.”  
“Had Kitty – Kate – not interrupted, I believe it would have happened.”  
“Kitty knew, too? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”  
“Perhaps because of your intolerance. She may have thought you would treat them as you do me. Doug seemed to think so.”  
Sam opened the door and walked next door to the room shared by Doug and Roberto. He opened the door without knocking.  
“How could you not tell me what happened to Mark back in January,” Sam yelled at Doug. “And you’re telling people I’m intolerant.”  
“Sam, what…” Roberto began.  
“He’s talking about me behind my back!”  
“If you want to talk,” Doug said. “We’ll go across the hall to the empty room.”  
“No, we’ll talk here!”  
Doug got up and shoved Sam into the hall.  
“Across the hall!”  
Sam made a move on Doug, but it was easily evaded. There was no one to really interrupt since they were the only ones in this section of the hall. Manuel was there but very unlikely to care about the results.  
Doug opened the door to the empty room and walked in. Sam, angry as ever, came in after him. Doug shut the door behind him.  
“What the fuck is your problem,” Sam shouted.  
“People don’t know what happened to Mark,” Doug said. “You don’t need to shout it out to everyone else in the dorm.”  
“You knew!”  
“I inferred it. I see patterns, Sam. I figured it out.”  
“Bullshit! Kitty knew!”  
“Whatever Kate knew she didn’t tell me. She probably rightly thought it was none of my business.”  
“You told Haroun.”  
“I didn’t tell Haroun shit. He asked me for advice on how to deal with you.”  
“You told him I was a bigot.”  
“I told him,” said Doug. “That you had some outdated religious views.”  
“Who are you to judge?”  
“The world is changing, Sam. It’s never going back to the way it was. I’ve already read lots of stuff talking about obsolete human morals. You want to talk about not judging but want to do that to people who it no way harm you. I don’t judge; that’s you. I just see things how they are.”  
“That doesn’t mean I have to room with him.”  
“Newsflash. Haroun isn’t the only one around here who likes people of the same sex. If I had to guess, a total of nine members of the Hellions have at least some interest in their own gender. Aside from them, two other members were raised by a same-sex couple. You’re not going to find a lot of support for your beliefs.”  
“I don’t believe you.”  
Stephen and Trevor had heard a lot of this. Wearing only a pair of pants, Stephen wandered across the hall into the empty room.  
“It’s really hard to concentrate on fucking the new boy in school when you guys won’t shut up,” Stephen said.  
“Wh-what,” Sam stammered, taken aback. “No way!”  
Trevor came up behind Stephen and wrapped his arms around his waist.  
“I’m not the only one getting fucked,” Trevor smirked.  
“You’re kidding me! You can’t be queer. You’re… I mean, you like sports, hunting and fishing, just like a regular guy. You like to build stuff!”  
“Now do you get it, Sam,” said Doug. “People don’t need to be walking stereotypes. That’s not reality and never was.”  
“My sister’s a dyke, too,” said Stephen. “She’s screwing Eileen. Bet you never knew that, either.”  
“Who’s your friend,” Doug asked.  
“Trevor Fitzroy. Trevor, meet Sam and Doug. Doug’s the one with manners so I’m sure you’ll get along with him.”  
“I can guess which one of them is Doug,” said Trevor. “I’m a bit tired. Maybe we should go back to bed.”   
“If you see Adam, tell him I won’t be back tonight. ‘Night!”  
Stephen and Trevor went back across the hall and shut the door behind them.  
“You knew about him, too,” asked Sam.  
“I guessed. Some things he said when I was hanging out with he and Adam one night. Why does it matter? Do Stephen and Ivana seem particularly maladjusted? They’re just normal kids, like us.”  
“Dani tried to tell me I shouldn’t worry about this. Am I really the only one who feels this way?”  
“I didn’t take a poll, but I think so, or at least you’re one of the few.”  
James appeared in the doorway, yawning. “My hearing is really good these days. It’s bad enough listening to Stephen and the new kid going at it but your yelling is tiresome. Here’s the situation: Sam, I don’t care if you don’t like Haroun’s sexuality, whatever that might be. Even if you ask, I’m telling Ms. Frost I want you in the same room. I might even ask her to set up something where you have to spend time together on a project.”  
“You can’t do that,” Sam said.  
“I can. What Doug said is true. Those morals are old. But let’s look at in another way. When did you decide to be straight?”  
“I just am. It’s normal. Even if I did have those feelings I’d know I couldn’t act on them.”  
“Okay, so when did you decide to become a mutant?”  
“What? You know we don’t have a choice about that.”  
“Maybe not, but we make the choice to use our powers. Some people justify killing us because of your Bible. They make the same justification for homosexuals. Now suppose someone told you it was okay to be a mutant as long as you never used your powers? Using your powers would be a sin but being a mutant wouldn’t be, in and of itself. What would you do? And bear in mind that my powers are always ‘on’.”  
“That’s not the same.”  
“It’s exactly the same,” said Doug. “Just ask the friends of ours who went on a mission last night to kill Stryker. He found evidence for it in the Bible so it must be true.”  
“This discussion is over for now,” said James. “It’s stupid. Go to bed.”  
James walked down the hallway to his room. Doug just shrugged and went back to his own room. With nothing else to do, Sam also went back to his room. Haroun pretended to be asleep but Sam knew he wasn’t. He was going to have to spend the night really thinking about his beliefs on the subject and examine how they fit into his world. Sam had recently participated in the deaths of a lot of people. Sure, they were criminals, but it didn’t make him a better person for having done it. Doug was right that he was being judgmental. He hadn’t always been that way and wondered if the school was somehow changing him. Mark had warned them it would happen if he let it. The moralizing was probably a defense against his situation. Jesus said ‘Love thy neighbor’. He never said anything about making exceptions for anyone who wasn’t like you.

“Wh-where am I,” Mark rasped. He had been out since losing consciousness at Stryker’s church.  
Fabian, who had been sleeping on a nearby cot, woke up. He had somehow become very attuned to whatever was going on with his friend. The truth was that Fabian’s feelings ran far deeper than friendship, but he had been unwilling to acknowledge that, even to himself.  
“I am here, my friend,” Fabian said, rising from his cot.  
“Wh-why is it so cold?”  
Fabian knew the temperature was more warm than anything. If Mark was feeling cold it was his own body that was at fault.  
“I do not know.”  
“I’m scared,” said Mark. “I feel like I’m dying.”  
There was real fear in Mark’s voice. He could barely remember anything that had happened the night before other than some vague fighting.  
“You are ill,” Fabian said. “You were hurt on our mission.”  
Mark sniffled and started to cry. Somewhere inside he felt – knew – that it was the end for him. He wasn’t ready for it.  
Walking to his side, Fabian could see that Mark was shivering. His skin was ice cold. Electrical equipment tended to short out when it made contact with him, meaning that not even an electric blanket could be used. Those covers over him were not enough.  
Making a decision, Fabian climbed up into the bed and wrapped his arms around Mark. Last time Fabian had done so he was under the influence of Manuel, Tyler and Christopher. This was different. Mark needed comfort. If his life were soon to end, at least he wouldn’t be alone. There could be nothing worse than dying alone.  
“You will be fine, my friend,” said Fabian.  
“I don’t feel right… like something’s broken inside… like I’m fading.”  
“You have been asleep for twenty-four hours. Being awake is a good sign.”  
Mark shivered again. The vibrations were intense, shaking the bed. Then he resumed crying. Fabian reached for one of Mark’s hands and held it. It was almost difficult to do so because of the cold. He didn’t think bodies got this cold while they were still alive. The thought was frightening.  
“Don’t leave me. I’m so scared.”  
“Shh,” Fabian whispered. “You just need some rest.”  
Not knowing what else to do, Fabian stroked Mark’s head. There was the occasional bout of shivering. Finally, Mark fell into a fitful sleep. Fabian, exhausted from having been awake for almost two days solid, also drifted off. He didn’t even notice when Illyana and Kate appeared in the room.  
“Oh, shit,” said Illyana.  
Kate just threw her a look and walked over to the bed. Her instinct was to touch Mark’s head, but the shock that came when she neared caused her to pull back. It also woke Fabian. His eyes widened, as though he was terrified.  
“It’s okay,” Kate said. “Don’t… I’m not worried. Not about you, anyway. How is he?”  
“He was awake for a few minutes,” Fabian answered. "He is very scared. He believes he is dying.”  
Kate gulped, unsure she wanted to know the answer to her next question.  
“Is he?”  
“Yes.”  
“Why,” said Illyana. “Frost had tech that healed Dani’s back. Why can’t she do something for Mark?”  
“Electronic devices do not work around him. The blood from Adam’s brother was the wrong type and is poisoning him. The doctor did say he would not have survived this long without it, but it is still killing him.”  
“Why not give him a transfusion?”  
“Most blood burns when it enters his body. Only mine will do. They say it will take a week to get the necessary amount of blood from me. I would give it all to save him.”  
“Don’t be stupid, Fabian. Why does he keep shivering?”  
“His skin is ice cold.”  
“I can probably fix that,” said Illyana.  
She mumbled an incantation. An orange light appeared over the bed. Kate could feel the heat emanating from it. The shivers from Mark had visibly lessened.  
“That feels much better,” said Fabian. “His skin is a little warmer. It is not so difficult to touch him anymore.”  
“How much blood have they taken from you,” Illyana asked.  
“I am unsure. It is in the freezer over there.”  
Illyana walked over to the freezer and opened the door. There was a bag inside. It was marked ‘FMJ’, which were Fabian’s initials.  
“How much blood do we need for a full transfusion?”  
“I can go online to find out,” Kate said. “What do you have in mind?”  
“Maybe I can duplicate the blood.”  
“Would that work?”  
“I don’t know but it’s better than sitting here and watching him die!”  
Since she had first heard of Mark’s condition, Illyana had been relatively passive and calm. Setting her emotions aside was something she was good at, even when she really cared. This outburst suggested that she was losing it. Mark meant too much to her.  
“There’s a computer in here. Let me look it up.”  
After a few minutes, Kate found what she wanted.  
“That bag is about a pint,” Kate said. “He needs something like ten to twelve pints.”  
Holding the bag, Illyana caused a tiny glob to come from it. Then she took another bag in hand. Speaking an incantation, this one relatively lengthy, the bag began to fill. When it was done, Illyana's knees buckled.  
“Illyana,” Kate cried, running to her side. “What happened?”  
“Losing a pint of blood that quickly really sucks,” said Illyana. “I don’t recommend it.”  
“You used your own blood?”  
“I used Fabian’s blood as the template to transform mine and put it in that bag. I can’t just make blood. It had to come from somewhere. Where better than me? Anyway, that’s two pints down. Only ten to go.”  
“We need some of the others, people likely to help.”  
“I’ll get them.”  
“Stay here! You’re weak. If anything happens to Mark maybe you can do something.”  
“Okay.”  
Once Kate was gone, Illyana got herself up onto the cot. Her stunt had drained her more than expected. There was a reason this was usually done slowly. She’d have to keep that in mind when the others arrived.  
“Are you alright,” Fabian asked.  
“I’ll be fine. How’re you holding up?”  
“I will not feel good until he is fully healthy.”  
Illyana watched as Fabian caressed Mark’s face. His feelings were obvious.  
“You really care about him, don’t you?”  
“He is my friend.”  
“I wasn’t judging. You’re not the only one who won’t rest easy until he’s fine. If he dies… Mark’s brother will pray for death before I’m through with him.”  
That statement chilled Fabian. It wasn’t the sentiment so much as the way she said it. There was no emotion in her voice. The thought of vengeance was too consuming for anything else to get in. He feared for anyone who crossed her.  
Shortly, Kate returned with the others in tow. Everyone Kate had thought she’d get was with her. These were people she knew would be willing to take the risk.  
Sam was the first to notice the way Fabian was cradling Mark. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Mark was obviously asleep but Fabian knew what he was doing.  
“In case you’re wondering,” Kate said. “That orange light is helping to keep Mark warm. He was ice cold. Mark woke up earlier. He was scared that he was dying and didn’t want to be left alone. Fabian, bless ‘em, didn’t want Mark to die alone if it came to that.”  
Illyana pulled herself up but remained on the cot.  
“You guys should all sit on the floor. Kate, distribute those plasma bags to everyone. What’s going to happen is that I’m going to slowly take a pint of blood out of each of you. It’ll be faster than a regular donation but slower than when I did it to myself, since that kind of hurt. Then I’m going to completely swap this blood with what’s in Mark all at once. Hopefully, it won’t kill him.”  
“I’m sorry I caused all of this,” Adam said. “If I had known, I never would have done the transfusion.”  
“It’s not your fault,” Kate said. “A doctor told Fabian that Mark wouldn’t have survived this long without it. Now we’re going to do the next step and I just thought of something. Maybe the ‘all at once’ swap isn’t a great idea. Adam, do you think you can slowly put our blood into Mark while Illyana draws it out? It might be less of a shock to his system.”  
“I can do it.”  
Rahne smiled and squeezed Adam’s hand. He was such a good person. She felt proud to have him as her man.  
“And Dani,” said Kate. “Can you give Mark happy thoughts? Anything positive might help him hang on.”  
“Will do.”  
Without hesitation, Dani went into it, summoning Mark’s greatest desire. No one was aware of it but Dani and Mark. In it, Mark was together with his family. Damiano wasn’t present, but he was there with his parents and sisters. They were happy. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Mark this happy. Tears formed in Dani’s eyes. Mark loved his family and missed them very much. Now all Dani had to do was maintain the illusion while her blood was draining away. She didn’t mind. Making someone this happy was worth it.  
Sam watched Dani’s eyes go out of focus. She smiled. Even after the tears started flowing, Sam could tell she was experiencing something good. Mark’s greatest desire, whatever it was, put joy on Dani’s face. It was nice to know that deep inside Mark had wholesome thoughts. Sam guessed that Mark must have lost too much too quickly to adjust. Sam had lost his own father, but at least his mother and siblings were all fine. Mark had lost everything, and at the hands of his brother. It had seemed to crush his spirit. Turning to drugs and alcohol as a solution hadn’t helped, but he had managed to finally kick that habit. Maybe it was worth it more to find the good in a person instead of focusing on the bad.  
“You okay, hon,” Doug said to Kate.  
“Fine. I just don’t know what I’d do if I lost him. Damiano said something about us, something that bothers me.”  
“What?”  
“He said Mark and I used to play together as kids. Then he pretty much said our memories of it were erased.”  
“Why would anyone do something like that?”  
“No idea, but Mark lived in Chicago and I wasn’t too far away. It’s almost plausible. Maybe Frost did it when she first came to recruit me. She might have got Mark at the same time. When she couldn’t get me, maybe she thought it would be better for me to forget so I didn’t suspect she was gathering young mutants.”  
“You think that’s what happened?”  
“No, but it’s a possibility.”  
Mercedes lay down in her brother’s lap. Since Rahne was holding Adam’s hand, she figured she could do this. Adam didn’t seem to mind. What was bothering Mercedes was that she felt partially responsible for what had happened to Mark. Maybe if she hadn’t been so hung up on Evan they could have gotten to the others in time to prevent Mark from being hurt so badly.   
While she was thinking this, Adam looked down at her. He smiled at her in a way that said he knew what she was thinking and that it wasn’t her fault. There was no special link between them, but Adam knew his sister well enough to know when she was feeling guilty. It was reassuring and made Mercedes feel a little better about herself.  
James was restless. He wanted to get this over with. He had noticed Sam eying Fabian with his arms around Mark and was unsure how he’d react. To his credit, Sam simply sat on the floor next to Dani, giving her most of his attention. Maybe there was hope for him yet. If Sam ever got to the point of not discriminating against people for being themselves, in a way that brings no harm to others, he’d be a better person.  
“I’m going to start now,” Illyana said. “I don’t know if you want to lay back on anything. Well, here goes.”  
Once more speaking her incantation, the blood began to flow from the others into the bags at their sides. It wasn’t easy for Illyana, since maintaining two spells at once, one for the heat and the other for the blood, was difficult. Fabian could see the strain on her face. With one last glance at Mark, he got out of the bed.  
“Can I get you something,” Fabian asked Illyana. “Water, or perhaps something with caffeine?”  
“Maybe a soda or something. It might help keep me focused.”  
“I will return shortly.”  
Fabian left the medical center and almost bumped right into Emma Frost. Her face was passive and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. When she gazed at Fabian, he began to get nervous.  
“Ms. Frost,” Fabian said. “I wanted to see Mark.”  
“You are not, apparently, the only one,” she responded.  
“Mark is doing poorly.”  
“You should have come to me.”  
“Illyana has a plan,” Fabian said. “We believe it may work.”  
“I see it in their minds. It is very risky.”  
“His skin was like ice. He told me he felt as if he were dying. I think he is. In a week, it will be too late.”  
Emma sighed. She had feared the very same thing but felt powerless to do anything about it. Perhaps had the Shi’ar medical technology been fully reverse-engineered, it would have been possible to help Mark. Those beings seemed able to account for every possibility, including a boy whose body caused electrical devices to stop functioning and destroyed any blood that neared him.  
“Illyana has no way of knowing if the blood will be compatible.”  
“She would never do anything she believed would hurt him,” said Fabian. “I believe, in some way, Illyana cares deeply for him. If you think this plan will fail, I will do whatever I must to save him.”  
Emma stroked Fabian’s hair. She had suspected that the boy had fallen in love with Mark but she couldn’t penetrate his mind without going to extreme measures. If Mark survived, that relationship might prove useful. She couldn’t outright tell Fabian to pursue Mark romantically but suggesting he explore his feelings might work.  
“Fabian, none of us, Mark included, would want you to risk death for him,” said Emma. “You have done all you can.”  
“I… yes. Illyana wished something with caffeine to aid her. I was on my way to get a soda.”  
“It is already taken care of, Fabian. Refreshments will be here momentarily. It is important to begin replenishing your bodies right away.”  
“If I go in without it…”  
“I will accompany you.”  
Opening the door, Emma stepped inside, Fabian in tow. Illyana gulped, and the light over Mark fluttered.  
“Calm yourself, child,” Frost said. “Maintain concentration. An assortment of drinks and sweets are on their way. Please, continue with what you are doing.”  
The food cart arrived in the room in time to be pushed aside by the very harried school physician. He did not appear happy to be roused in the middle of the night, and even less so by what he was seeing.  
“Ms. Frost, this is outrageous,” the doctor said. “The blood of these children will do nothing for him. Only Fabian’s blood is of use and it will take a week to get all we need.”  
“Trust them, Dr. Herschel. Miss Rasputin, aside from taking blood from her friends, is also transforming it into a match for Fabian’s own blood.”  
“She may think so, but if she’s wrong it will kill him. He’s extremely unstable and the shock of another improper transfusion would mean his death.”  
“Illyana has already created one pint using her own blood. I suggest you quickly check it to find out if the match is perfect. I know this girl and believe me when I tell you she will do whatever she thinks she must to save Mark.”  
“Let me have the blood,” said Dr. Herschel.  
Fabian pulled the two bags, his own and the duplicate Illyana had made, and handed them to the doctor. Herschel went to the wall and pushed a hidden button. The wall spun around to reveal advanced medical equipment. It was this technology that had saved Dani Moonstar from a life of paralysis. It could also be used to match the blood, far more quickly and accurately than could be found in even the most advanced medical facilities. This equipment was hidden from the rest of the school students.  
After several minutes, the device beeped. Dr. Herschel peered at the readout. He had a sour look on his face.  
“It’s a perfect match,” he said. “But I’m going to test every one of these bags before they go into that boy. We’ll also do a proper transfusion.”  
“Check the blood if you wish,” said Frost. “But my students will do the transfusion as planned. They can make sure that every last drop of the poisonous blood is gone while only the new blood appears in his system.”  
“Removing all of his blood at once could kill him.”  
“I know that, you idiot,” said Illyana through gritted teeth. “That’s why Adam is going to be bringing the new blood in at the same time I take out the old. My spell will make sure the new and old never touch. Whatever you think, we’re not morons. We know what we’re doing.”  
Emma practically beamed at Illyana.  
“Can you see why I take such pride in these children,” she said. “Even during these trying times when they make some poor decisions, there is always a positive aspect to their behavior.”  
“Maybe they should be doctors instead of me,” said Dr. Herschel.  
A dark look crossed Emma’s face. Herschel’s face went white. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut.  
“Unlike them, you are replaceable.”  
The implication was clear. Herschel would never find a job again if he left the Academy. That was assuming he survived.  
“Yes, Ms. Frost. They are wonderful children.”  
Within the next forty-five minutes, Illyana had finished placing the last bits of blood into the bag. Even though she called it two spells, the truth was that draining and transforming were two spells per person. Along with the heating spell for Mark, she was actually maintaining seventeen spells. When she finally finished, she lay back, exhausted. Even so, the spell for Mark remained firmly in place.  
“Children, eat up,” said Ms. Frost. “You need to recharge. Illyana, Adam, the two of you need some rest before attempting the transfusion. I realize that every moment counts but it will do Mark no good if you make a careless mistake due to lack of concentration.”  
Over the course of the next hour, Herschel confirmed that the blood was a match. The students ate, drank and engaged in animated conversation. The roles of all but two were complete, but not a one of them was willing to leave until they knew Mark’s fate.  
“It’s time,” Illyana said. “I’m ready if you are, Adam.”  
“I’m ready,” Adam replied. “Let’s get on with it.”  
::Link with me,:: came Illyana’s thoughts. ::I feel the magic in you. We can do this without any mental depth.::  
::You knew,:: Adam asked. ::I've avoided mentioning it. Are we going to make sure we’re in sync with the in and out?::  
::You got it, buddy. Let’s get to it.::  
Both Illyana and Adam closed their eyes in concentration. Blood began to move out of Mark into an empty bag. At the same time, the new blood moved into Mark’s veins. Dr. Herschel watched in amazement as one bag was filled at the exact same instant as the other was completely drained. The level of synchronicity involved was outstanding.  
The teenagers took their time transferring the blood. It was a delicate operation since Mark was very weak. Anything too shocking to his system would kill him. One hour stretched into two with only three bags exchanged. Illyana and Adam showed no signs of strain, apparently having both entered into states of meditative trance. Everything but the task at hand was completely blocked out.  
The longer the wait, the more the other students showed signs of fatigue. Emma had bedding brought into the room to accommodate them, as well as a comfortable chair for herself. Like them, she couldn’t very well leave with Mark’s life in the balance. Here was a level of bonding she never expected, one she had never achieved with the original Hellions, and she wasn’t about to exclude herself from the mix.  
It was dawn before the process was complete. Adam and Illyana opened their eyes simultaneously. Their eyes locked instantly, as though they were aware of what each other had been doing. Emma wondered if they had somehow been in communication. She hadn’t sensed anything telepathically but it was difficult to know how Illyana might block Emma with her abilities.  
“Fabian, check his pulse,” Emma ordered.  
Fabian did as instructed. He turned white. Wasting no time, Fabian began CPR and mouth-to-mouth. Not getting what he wanted, Fabian used his powers to simulate electro-shock therapy to try to get Mark’s heart beating. Then, without warning, Mark shot up, gasping. Electrical energy seemed to bleed from his orifices, crackling all around his body. As he calmed, some of this energy subsided, but his eyes were no longer visible. Tiny sparks also discharged from his skin. It was impossible for anyone but Fabian to touch either Mark or the metal frame of the bed.  
“What happened,” Mark rasped. His voice sounded as though he were parched.  
Rahne got up and handed a bottle of water to Fabian to give Mark. Fabian almost gave it to him but thought better of it. The plastic might melt in Mark’s hands. A beaker from the cabinet would serve the purpose.  
“You almost died on us, Mark,” Frost said. “If not for the quick thinking of your friends, who gave you a complete blood transfusion, you would no longer be among us.”  
“I don’t remem—Damiano!”  
“He escaped,” said Kate. “Your survival mattered more.”  
“Don’t worry,” Illyana said, brandishing her Soulsword. “We’ll find him.”  
“Oh. Fabian, I… think I remember you. You made me feel safe.”  
“Yes, my friend,” Fabian responded.  
“Thank you.”  
There was something in Mark’s voice that showed feeling beyond words. It was missed by most, but not Fabian, Emma, or even Doug.  
“You need rest, Mark,” said Emma. “We should leave you.”  
“No,” said Mark. “I want to sleep in my own bed. I’ll feel better there. Safer. And not alone.”  
“I don’t think so, young man,” Dr. Herschel said. “You have changed a lot since returning from your mission. We need to explore these changes.”  
“Not now. I’m tired.”  
Mark got up and out of bed. He tried to steady himself but began to fall over. His legs were too weak to support himself. Fabian was there to catch him.  
“You’re too weak to walk,” Emma said.  
Smiling, Fabian lifted Mark off the ground into his arms. Mark put an arm around Fabian’s neck to hold himself up.  
“I am sufficiently strong enough to move him,” said Fabian. “Just touching Mark keeps my power at full peak.”  
“Please…” said Mark, pleading.  
Emma sensed that this was another crucial moment, one of many presented over the past several hours. The boys were in the process of bonding deeply. If she disrupted that bond, it could ruin it. That might lead to hard feelings toward her.  
“Of course,” Emma said with a smile. “Just be careful. As soon as you’re awake we can run more tests. Sometimes health is best served by being where you’re most comfortable.”  
“Thank you… all of you. Everything you’ve done for me today…”  
The group offered well wishes to Mark as Fabian carried him out the door. Mark fell fast asleep as soon as he got into his bed. This time his sleep was peaceful. Fabian smiled over at his friend before finally drifting off to sleep.

End

**Author's Note:**

> Regarding pints of blood, I've read anywhere 10 or more depending on the source. I went high for the purposes of the story.
> 
> In regard to drug addiction, Sam infers that it can be easily kicked with a little help from friends. In reality, it takes a lot more work and may come up in a future story.


End file.
